Do Men Hate Women? (Talking About Misogyny)

As uncomfortable as it can be, it is critical that men hear from women about their experiences of misogyny, the hatred of women.

Doing so quickly raises a range of challenging questions: Perhaps the most interesting is not why certain, individual men hate women but whether misogyny is actually central to a male-dominated society? That is, even for that majority of men who truly love women, what is it about our lives and the ways we were raised to be men, that show a profound distrust, suspicion, and, yes, even hatred, for the things we associate with femininity? Or does this disguise other, more troubling feelings, about our lives as men and our relationships with women? And what about a new, cooked-up term “misandry” (a supposed hatred of men) that gets circulated by anti-feminist men’s rights groups?

In March, I had the pleasure of taking part in the annual Women of the World Festival at London’s Southbank Centre. One event was an hour-long, on-stage discussion with the incredible Jude Kelly. Jude is a British director and producer and currently the artistic director of the Southbank Centre, her country’s largest cultural institution.

Here’s the video of our discussion:

7 Comments on “Do Men Hate Women? (Talking About Misogyny)”

Oooh, that sounds like a good read! It takes cugaroe for women to write that way and to be so honest and straightforward rather than tiptoe around these issues in a politically correct way. It helps when there’s humour in the writing too 🙂 And I have to agree on the exerpt re: marriage :)Thank you, I wouldn’t have heard about this author in Canada.

In response to essentials logics point .
So what if Misandry does exist ?
Misogyny leads to rape, murder, domestic violence, unfair work conditions , abusive porn… The list goes on and on
What does Misandry lead to ?
Men having their feelings hurt and not being able to have sex Witb some women without force
Sorry but its not even a comparison

You know what? Sadly, people all over the world are holding prejudice for all sorts of reasons. Let’s deal with every prejudice that exists, whatever it is, regardless. Be it anything, yeah. Some people who are victims of misogyny may be guilty of another prejudice, let’s all see what we can do to change and improve as people.

Since misogyny exists, why is it difficult to believe that misandry exists? Misandry is not a new, cooked up term. Misogyny and misandry have existed since time began. Both misogyny and misandry can be practiced by men and women.

In the days when women did not have the vote, Susan B. Anthony remarked that men were usually ambivalent about women being allowed to vote while women were usually opposed to it. Since men have passed many laws that protect women, it has been remarked that men have been the most effective feminists.

When is everyone going to realize that lives won’t improve until we stop all of the hatred and defend each other against unfair prejudice and discrimination?

Men have passed laws to protect women because women have rarely been allowed into political positions through which to protect themselves. They shouldn’t expect women to thank them for reluctantly allowing basic human rights to be extended. Misandry makes men uncomfortable. Misogyny gets women killed.

After seeing your discussion with Jude kelly on Misogyny and misandry here is something that needs to be explored which is so important to understand men and women..Awaken The Dance Within
We must walk the middle path.
The middle path is synthesis: the synergy of thesis and anti-thesis, positive and negative, light and darkness.
It is the breath of air between the pillars of fire and water, and the neutrons among the protons and electrons holding our world together.
It is “The One from nothing that became the many.
“Male energy controls the left side of our brains, our projective, rational, logical, intellectual thought processes.
Female energy emanates from the right hemisphere of our brains, where our receptive, intuitive, emotional, creative impulses arise. Our world today, overwhelmed by the male aspect, requires more female polarity to achieve homeostasis.
We need the more caring, nurturing, compassionate aspects of the woman to counteract the dominion of the male aggressive energies and other attributes which occur in an absence of balance.
For our evolution and reintegration, the feminine principle is essential for restoring and maintaining the proper balance for growth in our universe of duality.

Thank you for this conversation. There is a current sweeping push back against feminism, that has a frightening feel of anger in it. I see it emerging in human services in the form of notions that “men are equally abused by women”, and that it is far more challenging to change behavior of “abusive women”, than it is of men.

I want to remain open to face every reality, so we need to be asking the right questions of the right people, if we want to know what is really going on. We do not ask the alcoholic if they have a drinking problem, lets not be asking abusive men, if they are batterers.